1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to marine anchors and particularly to anti-fouling, quick-release and quick re-setting anchors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since man's first attempts at navigation upon the water anchors of various types have been used to stabilize the means he has used for water transport and to position these means at convenient places.
Early anchors were large and heavy and are best illustrated by the fisherman or admiralty anchor and the Chinese anchor.
A need for a more efficient lighter weight and easier to handle anchors resulted in a study of anchor dynamics.
Formulas for anchor efficiency were developed. One of these used to determine anchor efficiency is H = P/W in which the efficiency or holding power is designated as H. P is the horizontal pull and W the weight of the anchor. The result has been the development of a variety of anchors with large fluke surfaces. Such anchors are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,373,712; 3,327,673; 3,295,848; 3,407,776; 3,270,704.
These various patents follow the approach of designing an anchor mechanism that consists of two various shaped flukes designed to dig into the bottom and present the maximum drag to bottom surface materials. They have resulted in an anchor efficiency of 6 to 10. An example of such a lightweight anchor is the Danforth anchor.
Stokes U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,712 illustrates this approach but his device and that of Goodwin U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,673 are both subject to fouling by marine bottom plants and snagging on bottom rocks and debris.
Additionally, each anchor listed in the prior art suffers from the general disability of all anchors in that there is a general tendency of the anchor to turn over with an upward pull on the ring or if the ship swings from side to side.